Electrode-engaging apparatus



INVENTOR.

GER.

M. P. SCHLIENGER ELECTRODE-ENGAGING APPARATUS Flled May 15, 1958 Sept.29, 1959 United States Patent ELECTRODE-ENGAGING APPARATUS Max P.Schlienger, Bridgeville, Pa., assignor to Universal- Cyclops SteelCorporation, Bridgeville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationMay 15, 1958, Serial No. 735,520

'5 Claims. (Cl. 13-17) This invention relates to apparatus for engagingelectrodes used with electric furnaces, and more particularly toapparatus for guiding downwardly moving consumable metal electrodes.

One way of melting metal is to form an electrode from it and then strikean electric arc with the electrode in an electric furnace. As it ismelted, the electrode is fed into the furnace. There are always theproblems of making a good electrical connection with the electrode andof guiding it as it is being fed into the furnace. These problems areaccentuated by the fact that electrodes come in various shapes and sizesand frequently are not uniform in cross sectional area from end to end.Difiiculties are experienced in maintaining such an electrode centeredin a furnace. At present, it is done by a guide, usually consisting of anumber of elements individually adjustable to accommodate a given sizeand shape of electrode. Such a guide is very diflicult to adjust,especially when the cross section of the electrode is not symmetrical orof constant area. Also, the guide is not self-centering and will nothold an electrode rigid at all times during melting.

.It is among the objects of this invention to provide electrode-engagingapparatus which is quickly and easily adjusted for varying shapes andsizes of electrodes, which is self-centering, which is not afiected byvariations on the electrode surface, and which can be used for eitherguiding an electrode or for making electrical contact with it.

In accordance with this invention, a ring is placed in coaxial spacedrelation with an annular supporting mem her. A plurality ofelectrode-engaging members are spaced circumferentially around the ringand each is supported by a pair of toggle links. The outer ends of eachpair of links are pivotally connecting with the supporting means andring. Means are provided for resisting movement of the ring away fromthe supporting means, so that the electrode-engaging members can bemaintained in contact with an electrode surrounded by them. Preferably,the supporting means and ring are connected by sliding studs, on whichsprings are mounted, and the ring can tilt and move laterally withoutbinding.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan view of my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1 andshowing the apparatus supported by part of a furnace housing; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the annular supportingmember taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, an opening into the top of an electricfurnace is encircled by an electrode housing 1 that extends a shortdistance down into the furnace. My electrode-engaging apparatus issecured to the lower end of that housing. The apparatus includes annularsupporting means, preferably a fiat ring 2, provided atcircumferentially spaced points near its circumference Patented Sept.29, 1959 with vertical openings 3 that receive screws 4, which attach itto the bottom of the housing. To electrically insulate the ring from thehousing an insulating ring 5 is placed between them, and insulatingsleeves 6 are mounted on the screws.

Spaced from the bottom of the ring, but coaxial with it, is an adjustingring 8 supported from the ring above it by means of studs 9 spacedcircumferentially around the rings. The studs are rigidly mounted in onering and slidingly mounted in the other ring. Preferably, the upper endsof the studs are screwed into holes in the upper ring, and the lowerring is provided with openings 10 through which the studs extendloosely. Nuts 11 are screwed on the lower ends of the studs and supportcoil springs 12, on which the adjusting ring rests.

The supporting ring 2 projects radially inward from the wall of housing1 and has equally spaced blocks 15 welded to its upper surface at itsinner edge. There are at least three of these blocks. Each one isprovided near its upper end with a radial opening 16 through it, inwhich the outer end of a toggle holder is pivotally mounted. The holderis in the form of a clevis 17 having a cylindrical stem 18 that extendsthrough the block. A cotter pin 19 through the outer end of the stemholds it in place. Passing through the inner end of the clevis is apivot pin 21, on which the upper end of a toggle link 22 is mounted. Thelink is inclined downward and inward and has its lower end connected toa pivot pin 23 that supports the upper end of a lower toggle link 24.The lower link is inclined downward and outward and has its lower endconnected by a pivot pin 26 to the inner end of another clevis 27provided with a cylindrical stem 28 pivotally mounted in a radialopening 29 through adjusting ring 8. The central pivot pin 23 of eachtoggle supports a member 30 adapted to slidably or rotatably engage theadjoining side of a consumable electrode E (Fig. 1) surrounded by thosemembers. Where the apparatus is being used as a guide for the electrode,the electrode-engaging members preferably are rollers.

The springs 12 on the studs resist movement of the adjusting ringdownward away from the supporting ring, so that rollers 30 will alwaysremain in contact with the electrode. By adjusting the nuts on the lowerends of the studs, the adjusting ring can be raised or lowered to movethe rollers in or out in order to engage electrodes of different sizesand with any desired pressure. Also, openings 10 through the adjustingring are made somewhat oversize so that the adjusting ring does not haveto remain in a horizontal plane but can be tilted, either purposely orwhen an irregularity in an electrode pushes one of the rollers outward.By having the clevises pivotally mounted in their supports, theadjusting ring also is free to turn on its axis slightly or to movesideways without causing the toggle links to bind. In other words, dueto the way the clevises are mounted and the adjusting ring is supported,the adjusting ring can float sufficiently to avoid jamming of the guidewhen the size or shape of an electrode varies as it is lowered betweenthe guide rollers 30. The toggles are prevented by stop bolts 31 frombeing straightened so far that they will remain straight said means andspaced axially therefrom, a plurality of electrode-engaging membersspaced circumferentially around the axis of the ring, a pair of togglelinks for each of said members, means pivotally connecting the innerends of each pair of links to one of said members, means pivotallyconnecting the outer ends of the links with said supporting means andring, and yielding means resisting movement of the ring axially awayfrom said supporting means, whereby said members can be maintained incontact with an electrode surrounded by them.

2. Electrode-engaging apparatus comprising annular supporting means, aring coaxial with said means and spaced therefrom, a plurality ofelectrode-engaging members spaced circumfereutially around the axis ofthe ring, a pair of toggle links for each of said members, meanspivotally connecting the inner ends of each pair of links to one of saidmembers, means pivotally connecting the outer ends of the links withsaid supporting means and ring, studs circumferentially spaced in thering for slidingly connecting it with the supporting means, and springson said studs resisting movement of the ring away from said supportingmeans, whereby said members can be maintained in contact with anelectrode surrounded by them.

3. Electrode-engaging apparatus comprising annular supporting means, anaxially movable ring coaxial with said means and spaced axiallytherefrom, a plurality of electrode-engaging members spacedcircumferentially around the axis of the ring, a pair of toggle linksfor each of said members, a pivot pin connecting the inner ends of eachpair of links to one of said members, pivot pins in the outer ends ofthe links parallel to the inner pin, toggle holders having one endmounted on the outer pins and extending radially outward in parallelrelation, one holder being pivotally mounted in said supporting meansand the other holder being pivotally mounted in said ring radiallythereof, and yielding means resisting movement of the ring axially awayfrom said supporting means, whereby said member can be maintained incontact with an electrode surrounded by them.

4. Electrode-engaging apparatus comprising an annular member adapted tobe secured to a support, a plurality of circumferentially spaced blocksmounted on said 4 member and extending away from one side of it, aradial clevis pivotally mounted in each block and projecting inwardlytherefrom, a separate toggle pivotally connected at one end to the innerend of each clevis and extending through the annular member, a secondradial clevis pivotally connected to the opposite end of each toggle, aring coaxial with the annular member and spaced from its side oppositesaid blocks, said second clevis being pivotally mounted in the ring, anelectrode-engaging member pivotally connected to the center of eachtoggle, studs adjustably connecting said annular member and ring, andsprings on the studs resisting movement of the ring away from saidsupporting means, whereby said members can be maintained in contact withan electrode surrounded by them.

5. Electrode-engaging apparatus comprising an annular member adapted tobe secured to a support, a plurality of circumferentially spaced blocksmounted on said member and extending away from one side of it, a radialclevis pivotally mounted in each block and projecting inwardlytherefrom, a separate toggle pivotally connected at one end to the innerend of each clevis and extending through the annular member, a secondradial clevis pivotally connected to the opposite end of each toggle, aring coaxial with the annular member and spaced from its side op,-posite said blocks, said second clevis being pivotally mounted in thering, an electrode-engaging member pivotally connected to the center ofeach toggle, studs projecting from said supporting means atcircumferentially spaced intervals, the ring being provided with holesloosely receiving the studs to permit the ring to tilt thereon, andsprings on the studs resisting movement of the ring away from saidsupporting means, whereby said members can be maintained in contact withan electrode surrounded by them.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,702,359 Molmark Feb. 19, 1929 1,732,431 Bruggman Oct. 22, 19291,871,463 Olson Aug. 16, 19 32

